Navas puts PNM on committee chairs

In a historic move, two PNM councillors were appointed to head subcommittees of the UNC-controlled Chaguanas Borough Corporation yesterday, as Chaguanas Mayor Natasha Navas took charge of the first council meeting. In another development, 54 contract workers were sent home because funds were exhausted. The decision to appoint the PNM councillors as chairmen, brought derision from Deputy Mayor Orlando Nagessar, who said none of the UNC councillors were given the opportunity to head subcommittees. He accused Navas of further splitting the UNC-controlled corporation.

"What I saw this morning totally shocked me, because I thought everything was over when Jack Warner removed Suruj Rambachan as mayor," Nagessar said. "Now I realise that the Ramjack faction, including Mayor Navas, Narsingh Rambarran, Salisha Isahak and Ramesh Ramdhan have severed themselves from the UNC, even though they claim to be UNC." He said it was customary for all UNC councillors and the mayor to meet in a caucus before the subcommittee chairmen were appointed.

Nagessar also said that instead of meeting in UNC caucus, Navas, Rambarran, Isahak and Ramdhan went into a caucus with Warner. "After their caucus, they came to the meeting," he said. "It is usual for the UNC to appoint the subcommittees, but the mayor came with a list and she read out the names of the chairmen of the different subcommittees. "Two PNM councillors—Bernard Bailey and Patricia Baptiste—were appointed. This was done with no consultation or input from us." There are four standing committees in the corporation—Finance, Health, Personnel and Infrastructure.

Apart from these, Nagessar said, the mayor had the authority to appoint several subcommittees, two of which include Market and Festival. "Four Ramjack councillors and two PNM councillors were put in charge of the subcommittees, while UNC councillors were not put in charge of anything," he said. Nagessar said he could not remember which subcommittees Bailey and Baptiste were in charge of. The deputy mayor also said that Navas revealed that 54 contract workers would be sent home because funding at the corporation was exhausted.

"At the meeting, she said she has been engaging in talks with Local Government Minister Hazel Manning, requesting $300,000 in funding, but so far she has been unsuccessful," Nagessar said. He noted that among the 54 workers were the borough's litter wardens. "We have over a dozen cases in court for littering, and if these workers are sent home, these cases will have to be dropped," Nagessar said. Navas could not be reached for comment, as she was engaged in a meeting with Chief Executive Officer William Mark up to late yesterday. A source close to the mayor, however, said it was untrue that Navas was unwilling to meet with the UNC councillors.

"She called several meetings and they never showed up...A meeting was called on Saturday and another was called yesterday (Monday), and they never attended," the source said. He said Navas was being guided by the law. "As mayor, she has the privilege to appoint anyone she chooses and she appointed the PNM councillors as the chairmen of the subcommittees," he said. "This has never before happened in the history of the corporation...This shows inclusion and change." He said Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday was intervening in the council's affairs, even though he was not an elected councillor.

Panday responds

In an immediate response, Panday said UNC supporters should thank Warner "for selling out to the PNM." He said: "I don't know what has happened...I will receive a report when the (UNC) executive meets. "I don't know who she (Navas) appointed, but whatever happens we have to thank Jack Warner for selling out to the PNM." Asked about the implications of such a move, Panday said: "It should be clear now and it should be beyond question that Warner is selling out to the PNM."

PNM COUNCILLORS

Bernard Bailey in charge of two subcommittees—Festivals and Culture; Facilities Management.
 
Patricia Baptiste in charge of two subcommittees—Social Services; Youth Development.
 
Ronald Heera was put in charge of main committee, Public Health, but has since resigned. (No one has been selected for this committee as yet.)
 
`RAMJACK' COUNCILLORS

Narsingh Rambarran controls main committee—Physical Infrastructure Planning Committee and two subcommittees: Marketing and Vending; Sport and Community Development. Alderman Ramesh Ramdhan controls main committee Personnel and HRM and two sub committees: Security and Safety; City Status Committee (a new committee set up to oversee Chaguanas transition to a city).
 
Salisha Isahak proposed for Public Health and Environment, but she was outvoted. She now controls one subcommittee— Public Imaging.
 
 
UNC COUNCILLORS

Gopaul Boodan—Not selected for any committee.
Orlando Nagessar—Not selected for any committee.
Joey Samuel—Has been promised that he will chair the OSH Committee.